As you know, I am a happy owner of the Fujinon GF50mmF3.5.
Well, happy until a certain point.
Because as I wrote in a complaint post here, the firmware for the GF50mmF3.5 had been suspended and remained so for many months (now years).
I did moan about it here on FujiRumors, but nothing happened.
Nothing until today! :)
Because FINALLY Fujifilm has released a new firmware for the previously suspended GF50mmF3.5 as well as the GF35-70mm.
And not only that.
Also the GF500mmF5.6 as well as every single Fujifilm GFX camera got firmware updates.
In the X series world, we get firmware updates for the Fujifilm X-T4 and the Fujifilm X-T50.
ATTENTION: Please update first the GFX camera firmware (no lens attached) and only after that you should update the GF50mm or GF35-70mm firmware.
＜Important Notice>
In the unlikely event that firmware update process for any of the above interchangeable lenses is interrupted and the message below appears, please claim “Repair Service Center” in your country to upgrade the firmware. You can read the full firmware instruction here.
Note-1：The followings are messages when the firmware update is interrupted (Messages vary depending on the model).
Customers with GFX100 II/GFX100S II/GFX 50R/GFX 50S
“FIRMWARE UPDATE ERROR!! PLEASE CONTACT YOUR LOCAL FUJIFILM OFFICE”
Customers with GFX100S/GFX100/GFX 50S II
“FIRMWARE UPGRADE ERROR!! CONTACT A SERVICE CENTER
The video is Italian and he runs over the latest gear with his usual captivating way.
But there is one sentence said by Andrea that I’d like to highlight today.
During the presentation Fujifilm said that right now they are the 3rd brand in terms of worldwide sales but they want to dethrone the current second best selling brand.
I am not sure how Fujifilm is currently the 3rd best selling brand.
So as Andrea in the video also suggest, Fujifilm might include their Instax division in this ranking, which I guess technically is still Fujifilm imaging division, but it would be like BMW saying they want to overtake VW car sales, but include their motorbike sales in the equation: you can do it, they are all motorised vehicles, but it’s not really fair.
Anyway, dear Fujifilm, I’d have an idea on how you would become Nr.1 overnight with only your mirrorless gear: how about you ship all gear people can’t currently find in stock?
And I speak not only about the Fujifilm X100VI, but at your own online store in Japan you have marked all your X/GFX cameras as out of stock. The shortages are chronic. There are periodical and prolonged order stops in certain parts of the world. Some of the shortages we had in Asia are now spreading also to the West (see X-T5 bodies at BHphoto).
Anyway, of course the above was a meeting with the Italian press and the marketing tends to fly high during these events. And I am certainly happy to see Fujifilm aiming to grow and take over market positions. But I wonder how this can happen if even gear launched 2+ years ago is mostly out of stock for years.
Oh well, I certainly wish Fujifilm all the best. But I’d be happy also with the 4th spot as long as we get our gear in a reasonable time.
Fujifilm Launches FUJINON Lens GF500mmF5.6 R LM OIS WR
New super-telephoto lens to expand the shooting range of the GFX series
Lightweight design, powerful image stabilization, and high-speed, high-precision AF broaden the range of photographic expression
does Fujifilm prefer to give the GFX100SII a dedicated launch day, and make a separate announcement for the X-T50 and the new kit lens?
did I share a wrong rumor?
Well… don’t worry. We don’t share wrong rumors here. Everything will happen as we tell you it will.
But I will contact our sources and see what they have to say about it. And as soon as I can I will share an update here on FujiRumors.
And beyond that?
Well, the only gear Fujifilm has pre-announced, is the Fujinon GF500mmF5.6, but that one is listed on the official G mount roadmap as coming sometimes in 2024. So it could be on May 16, but also later on.
Well, I am growing increasingly frustrated by the lack of a new X mount roadmap. I keep asking for a new one since years and Fujifilm keeps ignoring our wishes. So at this point I have no expectations anymore.
Anyway… answers will come. Some of them on May 16, but many other answers will come well before that.
At the last CP+, the French Website Phototrend had the opportunity to talk to Japanese Fujifilm manager Jun Watanabe about the X series and to Japanese Fujifilm manager Makoto Oishi about the GFX series.
Down below you can find a quick summary. For the full French version check out the articles at Phototrend here (X series) and here (GFX series). Plus a little rant at the end.
X series
Fujifilm can not confirm if X-Pro4 will arrive soon or not
X-Pro line is not stopped
X-T and X100 series do not satisfy all customers who want a “pure photography” experience
Fujifilm is studying different possibilities
feedback and expectations are high for the next X-Pro
X-E line is not stopped
sports photography is a difficult market
other brands are long established there and for Fujifilm it’s new terrain
Fujifilm can not confirm anything about eventual future lenses for sport photographers
Fujifilm has received great feedback about the latest autofocus system, but they will continue to improve
renewing older lenses is something that Fujifilm has in mind
XF16-50mmF2.8-4.8 [admin note: will replace the XF18-55mmF2.4.8]
Fujifilm is not considering any option other than X-Trans for their APS-C cameras
its unique matrix offers the advantage of combining high definition and suppression of moiré and chromatic aberrations
for X100VI, Fujifilm has developed the smallest and thinnest IBIS unit to date
the X100VI IBIS wiring has been moved to the side – see here
IBIS system uses data from the image in addition to the gyroscope (motion blur is analyzed from the live-view image)
the grip of the X100VI is a tenth of a millimeter deeper than X100V for a better grip
GFX series
GFX100II market return (sales) is very good, not only among professional photographers, but also filmmakers and directors
GFX100II sales exceed Fujifilm’s expectations
GFX100S is still very popular because Fujifilm has lowered its price
GFX100S still very popular in some markets like China
professionals go for GFX100II, enthusiasts for GFX100S
Fujifilm never looked at its market share in medium format segment
other manufacturers have no announced so many new products, so Fujifilm thinks they are Nr.1
some expect a faster 50MP GFX. But Fujifilm thinks high definition is more popular
there are lots of FF cameras offering 50/60 megapixel, so offering 50MP now has become almost banal
Fujifilm focuses on improving the 100MP sensor performance
for professionals ergonomics are very important
first GFX cameras had dedicated dials but now they switched to a easier to operate PSAM dial layout
normally APS-C lenses are compact than FF and MF (hence also smaller AF motors)
but regarding telephoto lenses, size primarily depends on diameter and aperture. Regardless of whether it’s for APS-C, FF or MF, the fundamental construction of telephoto lenses, particularly on the front lens side, is the same
Fujifilm tries to make the GF500mm as small and light as possible to obtain faster autofocus
tilt-shift lenses are the most difficult to design
why not retro? High end high speed cameras need to be operated quickly, hence PSAM. Also good for hybrid shooters for video
Let me just say that I strongly, vehemently, vigorously and fervidly disagree with Fujifilm in regards to what they said why they stick with PSAM on their GFX lineup.
First: the GFX system is not know to be blazing fast and immensely popular among high end sports photographers. I actually feel the GFX system would be the ideal system to use a retro layout.
They will find out that one can operate their retro styled cameras exactly as any PSAM camera out there. It’s a marvellous and ingenious design that gives us photographer the best of both words: retro if I want to have fun shooting or want to actually operate the camera already before turning it on, and PSAM if one needs to make lots of adjustment all the time on the fly.
Retro Fujifilm cameras offer both options. PSAM cameras force you into one way to operate the camera.
And in my opinion not offering retro styled GFX cameras anymore is one of the all time biggest mistakes Fujifilm is doing.
C’mon Fujifilm, look at what is selling best in your X system. You’ll see that retro X cameras outsell PSAM cameras by very far. And Nikon had a colossal success with the Nikon Zf lately. It’s clear that in times where every camera is just so good, what people really look for is to have a different photographic experience thanks to dedicated vintage dials.
The joy of shooting sells better than any specs boost you can show off on paper.
An example?
The X100VI sells like hot cakes. The revolutionary global shutter ultra modern high speed blazing fast Sony A9III is selling way below Sony’s expectations (you could always find it in stock everywhere all the time because demand is not high… ask your local retailer).
Fujinon XF16-55mm f/2.8 ver.1.31 – download here The firmware update Ver.1.31 from Ver.1.30 incorporates the following issue:
We have found some malfunctions (Phenomenon in which the exposure of a captured image becomes abnormal in combination with a certain focal length and aperture value) in the firmware Ver. 1.30 released on 22 Jan 2024.
Customers who have updated to Ver.1.30 should update to Ver.1.31.
If you update to Ver.1.31, the functions will be the same as Ver.1.20 and the following functions (*) added in Ver.1.30 will no longer be available.
* Improved exposure tracking during zoom operation.
Now THAT was fast. Considering that I would love to update my Fujinon GF50mmF3.5 firmware, but that one is suspended since forever (same thing also for the GF35-70mmF4.5-5.6 WR). Dear Fujifilm, in case you don’t know, we also use your GFX gear. So we’d love a fix for that too.
